On National Slam the Scam Day and throughout the year, we give you the tools to recognize Social Security-related scams and stop scammers from stealing your money and personal information. Share scam information with your loved ones. Slam the Scam!
Recognize the four basic signs of a scam:
Scammers pretend to be from a familiar organization or agency, like the Social Security Administration. They may email attachments with official-looking logos, seals, signatures, or pictures of employee credentials.
Scammers mention a problem or a prize. They may say your Social Security number was involved in a crime or ask for personal information to process a benefit increase.
Scammers pressure you to act immediately. They may threaten you with arrest or legal action.
Scammers tell you to pay using a gift card, prepaid debit card, cryptocurrency, wire or money transfer, or by mailing cash. They may also tell you to transfer your money to a “safe” account.
Ignore scammers and report criminal behavior. Report Social Security-related scams to the SSA Office of the Inspector General (OIG).
(EAST PALESTINE, Ohio)— The following are updates from the State of Ohio regarding remediation work at the site of the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
Surface Water Dashboard
Ohio EPA today launched a new public dashboard to report surface water testing results from samples collected in area creeks and rivers.
The dashboard highlights the 20 surface water sampling locations along Sulphur Run, Leslie Run, Little Beaver Creek, North Fork Little Beaver Creek, and the Ohio River. Test results include readings for vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, benzene, and 2-butoxyethanol.
According to the Ohio EPA, surface water testing results generally vary between minimum chemical detections and declining contaminant levels, but residents should continue to avoid contact with the contaminated water in the derailment area near Sulphur Run.
Surface water from the aforementioned bodies of water is not the source of drinking water for municipal or private wells in the East Palestine area. Human consumption of any untreated surface water from creeks and rivers is strongly discouraged.
Health Assessment Survey Update
Headache, anxiety, coughing, fatigue/tiredness and irritation, pain, and burning of the skin continue to be the most common symptoms reported by residents in the East Palestine area who have completed an After Chemical Exposure (ACE) survey.
Ohio Department of Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA released the initial results of these surveys last week when 168 had been completed. As of the end of day March 6, a total of 320 surveys had been completed, and the top five symptoms had not changed.
Residents complete the surveys either at the East Palestine Health Assessment Clinic operated by the Ohio Department of Health and the Columbiana County Health District or through door-to-door visits conducted by representatives from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Health Assessment Chart
The median age of respondents is 58 and most participants are over the age of 18 (95%).
Health Department officials use the information provided to better understand how the derailment incident may be impacting residents and determine appropriate public health response.
Major Disaster Declaration Time Extension
Last week, Governor DeWine requested that FEMA issue a 120-day time extension for Ohio to request a major disaster declaration for damages occurring as a result of the East Palestine train derailment. FEMA has now approved the request. The extension will run until July 3, 2023, and will allow more time for the State of Ohio to properly assess the impacts of the incident.
Governor DeWine announced his intent to file for the extension on February 17, 2023, after determining that the East Palestine disaster did not qualify for traditional FEMA aid. This extension will help ensure that East Palestine can receive assistance from FEMA should the derailment qualify for traditional FEMA aid in the future.
Hazardous Waste Removal
According to the Ohio EPA, approximately 3.96 million gallons of liquid wastewater have been hauled out of East Palestine in total.
Approximately 282,000 gallons have been shipped to Vickery Environmental in Vickery, Ohio, to be disposed of through deep well injection.
Approximately 3.36 million gallons have been shipped to Texas Molecular in Deer Park, Texas, to be disposed of through deep well injection.
Approximately 320,000 gallons have been hauled to Detroit Industrial Well in Romulus, Michigan to be disposed of through deep well injection.
The Ohio EPA reports that approximately 2,860 tons of solid waste have also left the derailment site.
Approximately 400 tons have been hauled to Ross Incineration Services in Grafton, Ohio, to be incinerated.
Approximately 1,270 tons have been hauled to Heritage Thermal Services in East Liverpool, Ohio, to be incinerated.
Approximately 440 tons have been shipped to U.S. Ecology Wayne Disposal in Belleville, Michigan, to be placed in a landfill.
Approximately 750 tons have been hauled to Heritage Environmental Services in North Roachdale, Indiana, to be placed in a landfill.
First Responder Training Center
Earlier today, Governor DeWine announced that the Norfolk Southern Corporation has agreed to his request that the railroad improve and expand firefighter training by creating a new first responder training center and expanding its Operation Awareness & Response (OAR) program, which travels the company’s 22-state network to train first responders on how to respond safely to rail incidents.
Although the Ohio Department of Agriculture currently has no reason to believe that crops planted in soil in the area of East Palestine are not safe for consumption, the agency will host a roundtable discussion with East Palestine area farmers on Thursday afternoon to discuss concerns about the upcoming planting season.
Those attending include the Columbiana County Soil and Water Conservation District, Ohio Farm Bureau, Ohio State University (OSU) Extension, OSU College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, Ohio EPA, U.S. EPA, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency, USDA Rural Development, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and other local officials.
Members of the media that plan to attend the event must RSVP to Meghan.Harshbarger@agri.ohio.gov.
Date:
Thursday, March 9, 2023
Time:
2:00 p.m.
Location:
Emmanuel Lutheran Church Education Building
251 S. Broadway Ave.
Salem, Ohio.
Health Assessment Clinic
The Ohio Department of Health’s Health Assessment Clinic in East Palestine, operating in partnership with the Columbiana County Health District, is operating on a walk-in basis. Residents should arrive at least an hour before closing to ensure there is enough time to be served.
Clinic hours for the remainder of the week are:
Thursday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The clinic is located at the First Church of Christ, 20 West Martin St. For information, call the Columbiana County Health District at 330-424-0272.
Coping with Trauma
According to the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, traumatic events, such as the train derailment, can cause intense stress, anxiety, and worry, especially in the first several weeks following the event.
Local certified professionals are onsite at the East Palestine Mobile Health Clinic and are ready to assist anyone who has questions or concerns. In addition, any resident can call the Ohio CareLine at 1-800-720-9616 at any time of day for free, confidential, emotional support from a trained professional.
For more information about local behavioral health resources and providers, contact the Columbiana County Mental Health & Recovery Services Board at https://www.ccmhrsb.org/.
More Information and Previous Updates: ema.ohio.gov/eastpalestine
(EAST PALESTINE, Ohio)— The following are updates from the State of Ohio regarding remediation work at the site of the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
Track & Soil Removal
The excavation continues under the south tracks at the derailment site. Ohio EPA reports that contractors are making good progress, and soil has been removed down to the clay in about 50 percent of the area. Once to that point, confirmation sampling is conducted to see if any contaminants remain. If contaminants are discovered, contractors will scrape away the clay until sampling comes back with no detection of contaminants.
Hazardous Waste Removal
According to the Ohio EPA, approximately 3.6 million gallons of liquid wastewater have been hauled out of East Palestine in total.
Approximately 257,000 gallons have been shipped to Vickery Environmental in Vickery, Ohio, to be disposed of through deep well injection.
Approximately 3 million gallons have been shipped to Texas Molecular in Deer Park, Texas, to be disposed of through deep well injection.
Approximately 320,000 gallons have been hauled to Detroit Industrial Well in Romulus, Michigan to be disposed of through deep well injection.
The Ohio EPA reports that approximately 2,650 tons of solid waste have also left the derailment site.
Approximately 380 tons have been hauled to Ross Incineration Services in Grafton, Ohio, to be incinerated.
Approximately 1,080 tons have been hauled to Heritage Thermal Services in East Liverpool, Ohio, to be incinerated.
Approximately 440 tons have been shipped to U.S. Ecology Wayne Disposal in Belleville, Michigan, to be placed in a landfill.
Approximately 750 tons have been hauled to Heritage Environmental Services in North Roachdale, Indiana, to be placed in a landfill.
Meeting with Farmers
Although the Ohio Department of Agriculture currently has no reason to believe that crops planted in soil in the area of East Palestine are not safe for consumption, the agency will host a roundtable discussion with East Palestine area farmers on Thursday afternoon to discuss concerns about the upcoming planting season.
Members of the media that plan to attend the event must RSVP to Meghan.Harshbarger@agri.ohio.gov.
Date:
Thursday, March 9, 2023
Time:
2:00 p.m.
Location:
Emmanuel Lutheran Church Education Building
251 S. Broadway Ave.
Salem, Ohio.
Increased Funding for Health Care Services
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Monday awarded $250,000 in emergency funding to the Community Action Agency of Columbiana County to help support emergency response efforts and follow-up care for people affected by the East Palestine train derailment. The funding will support key response activities, including direct health care services, patient screenings, outreach, and enrollment.
The announcement came after a conversation on Friday between HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and Ohio Department of Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA.
The Community Action Agency (CAA) of Columbiana County has partnered with the Ohio Department of Health and the Columbiana County Health District to support the Health Assessment Clinic for East Palestine area residents who have medical questions or concerns related to the train derailment.
CAA has deployed its mobile van to help increase capacity at the free clinic, which opened Feb. 21.
Health Assessment Clinic
The Ohio Department of Health’s Health Assessment Clinic in East Palestine now is operating on a walk-in basis. Residents should arrive at least an hour before closing to ensure there is enough time to be served.
Clinic hours for the remainder of the week are:
Wednesday: Noon to 8 p.m.
Thursday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The clinic is located at the First Church of Christ, 20 West Martin St. For information, call the Columbiana County Health District at 330-424-0272.
Coping with Trauma
According to the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, traumatic events, such as the train derailment, can cause intense stress, anxiety, and worry, especially in the first several weeks following the event.
Local certified professionals are onsite at the East Palestine Mobile Health Clinic and are ready to assist anyone who has questions or concerns. In addition, any resident can call the Ohio CareLine at 1-800-720-9616 at any time of day for free, confidential, emotional support from a trained professional.
For more information about local behavioral health resources and providers, contact the Columbiana County Mental Health & Recovery Services Board at https://www.ccmhrsb.org/.
Patrol Investigates a Pedestrian Killed in Crash on State Route 83 in Wooster Township in Wayne County
Wooster Township – The Ohio State Highway Patrol is currently investigating a one vehicle crash that occurred at 5:13 pm involving a pedestrian that was struck on State Route 83 west of US-250 in Wooster Township in Wayne County.
The crash involved a blue 2006 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Richard E. Curtiss II, 40, of Lakeville, Ohio. and a pedestrian, Louella A. Keslar 87, of Wooster, Ohio.
Initial investigation revealed Mr. Curtiss was westbound on State Route 83. Mrs. Keslar was attempting to cross the street traveling northbound on State Route 83. Mr. Curtiss’ vehicle struck Mrs. Keslar in the roadway.
Mrs. Keslar was transported by Wooster Township Fire Department to Wooster Community Hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries.
Mr. Curtiss was uninjured from the crash.
Alcohol does not seem to be a factor in this crash. The crash remains under investigation.
Patrol Investigates Fatal Crash on State Route 83 north of Britton Rd. in Canaan Township in Wayne County
Canaan Township – The Ohio State Highway Patrol is currently investigating a two vehicle fatal crash that occurred at 3:59 p.m. on State Route 83 north of Britton Rd. in Canaan Township in Wayne County.
The crash involved a white 2015 Freightliner Cascadia tractor trailer driven by Jacob W. Taylor, 41, of Litchfield, Ohio and a gray 2011 Audi A4 driven by Harry D. Hall, 66, of Medina, Ohio.
Initial investigation revealed Mr. Taylor was southbound on State Route 83. Mr. Hall was traveling northbound on State Route 83. Mr. Hall’s vehicle traveled left of center striking Mr. Taylor’s vehicle head on. After impact both vehicles traveled off the west side of the roadway.
Mr. Hall was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Mr. Taylor was transported by Canaan Township Fire Department to Lodi Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol License and Commercial Standards Unit, Wayne County Coroner’s Office, and the Ohio Department of Transportation assisted on scene.
Alcohol does not seem to be a factor in this crash. Both drivers were belted. The crash remains under investigation.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and seven other attorneys general announced two related judgments effectively shutting down a massive robocall operation that bombarded Americans with billions of illicit robocalls, including more than 69 million to Ohioans.
“Stopping annoying robocalls is a lengthy process, but this judgment is a reminder that we can cut them off,” Yost said. “There are enough distractions in life – let’s not let spam callers interrupt our lives anymore.”
In separate rulings, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas this week imposed a combined monetary judgment of $244,658,640 against John Caldwell Spiller II and his business partner, Jakob Mears. The men owned Texas-based Rising Eagle Capital Group, JSquared Telecom and Rising Eagle Capital Group-Cayman.
Because of Spiller and Mears’ inability to pay, the judgments will largely be suspended in favor of a permanent operational ban, meaning that neither can initiate or facilitate any robocalls, work for or with companies that make robocalls or engage in any telemarketing.
The court’s decision stems from a lawsuit filed by Attorney General Yost and others in June 2020 citing violations of the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act and the federal Telemarketing Sales Rule, as well as various state consumer-protection laws.
The complaint alleged that Spiller and Mears used the three companies to unleash a barrage of deceptive robocalls, many of them selling bogus extended car warranties and health-care services. They also “spoofed” calls by manipulating the number that appeared on caller ID to mislead people and called millions of phone numbers on the Do Not Call list.
Specifically, between January and May of 2019 and January and March of 2020, the defendants initiated more than 69 million robocalls to phone numbers associated with Ohio area codes. Of those, roughly 32.3 million were numbers on the Do Not Call list.
Yost and the other attorneys general are continuing cases in this same litigation against Scott Shapiro, Michael Theron Smith Jr. and Health Advisors of America Inc., all of Florida. These defendants allegedly worked with Mears and Spiller to make illegal robocalls targeting people who never asked to be contacted by Health Advisors.
Joining Yost in the announcement were the attorneys general of Arkansas, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota and Texas.
Consumers who receive unwanted calls can complete an Unwanted Call Notification Form at www.OhioProtects.org. That information will be shared with the Robocall Enforcement Unit, which uses the reports to identify trends and protect Ohioans.
(EAST PALESTINE, Ohio)— The following are updates from the State of Ohio regarding remediation work at the site of the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
Track & Soil Removal
Ohio EPA continues to oversee the soil excavation from beneath the tracks at the site of the train derailment. Nineteen hundred feet of rail in one direction has been fully removed, and approximately one half of contaminated soil from beneath the removed line has been excavated. Once contaminated soil is removed, samples of the top layer of soil that remains in the ground are taken and tested by U.S. EPA to ensure that contractors have dug deep enough to remove all hazardous materials. Excavated soil is being stored onsite in a specially lined waste containment area until it can be hauled offsite to a hazardous waste facility.
Soil Removal Odor – Resources Available
Residents in and around the area may notice a smell from the derailment site as contractors excavate contaminated soil from underneath the railroad tracks. The U.S. EPA continues to monitor the air in the community and has also conducted air monitoring tests near the soil excavation area. Although there were no sustained exceedances above health screening levels, some of the contaminants in the soil have a low odor threshold, which means that these contaminants can be smelled at levels much lower than what is considered hazardous.
As a reminder, Norfolk Southern has agreed to provide additional financial assistance to residents of the East Palestine area within a mile of the derailment site. This assistance may include temporary lodging, travel, food, clothing, and other necessities. Residents should call 800-230-7049 (open 24 hours) or visit the Family Assistance Center at Abundant Life Church in New Waterford, Ohio, for more information. Residents can also contact the U.S. EPA at 866-361-0526 for additional guidance about available resources.
Hazardous Waste Removal
According to the Ohio EPA, approximately 3.2 million gallons of liquid wastewater have been hauled out of East Palestine in total.
Approximately 230,000 gallons have been shipped to Vickery Environmental in Vickery, Ohio, to be disposed of through deep well injection.
Approximately 2.7 million gallons have been shipped to Texas Molecular in Deer Park, Texas, to be disposed of through deep well injection.
Approximately 320,000 gallons have been hauled to Detroit Industrial Well in Romulus, Michigan to be disposed of through deep well injection.
The Ohio EPA reports that approximately 2,070 tons of solid waste have also left the derailment site.
Approximately 290 tons have been hauled to Ross Incineration Services in Grafton, Ohio, to be incinerated.
Approximately 900 tons have been hauled to Heritage Thermal Services in East Liverpool, Ohio, to be incinerated.
Approximately 440 tons have been shipped to U.S. Ecology Wayne Disposal in Belleville, Michigan, to be placed in a landfill.
Approximately 440 tons have been hauled to Heritage Environmental Services in North Roachdale, Indiana to be placed in a landfill.
FEMA Letter
On Friday, Governor DeWine submitted a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency requesting a 120-day extension to submit a request for a major disaster declaration.
Governor DeWine announced his intent to file for the extension on February 17, 2023, after determining that the East Palestine disaster did not qualify for traditional FEMA aid. This extension would ensure that East Palestine can receive assistance from FEMA should the derailment qualify for traditional FEMA aid in the future.
Agriculture Meeting
Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) Director Brian Baldridge visited East Palestine today to meet with federal, state, and local agricultural partners to discuss farmer impact following the train derailment. Today’s visit comes ahead of a roundtable discussion that will take place later in the week with East Palestine area farmers to address concerns about the upcoming planting season. The meeting will be held on Thursday at 2:00 p.m. at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church Education Building in Salem, Ohio. ODA currently has no reason to believe that crops planted in soil in the area of East Palestine are not safe for consumption.
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Wildlife officers from ODNR continue to monitor the streams in the East Palestine area impacted by the train derailment. In the initial spill, ODNR estimates approximately 38,222 minnows, ranging in size between 1 and 3 inches, were killed. ODNR also estimated the total number of other aquatic life killed as a result of the derailment, including fish, crayfish, amphibians, and macroinvertebrates to be approximately 5,500.
Other than this aquatic life, eleven deceased animals have been submitted to the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory for evaluation to determine if their deaths were related to the chemical spill. Final necropsy results on a beef calf, three birds, and an opossum show no evidence of chemical toxicity as a cause of death. Preliminary results connected to the deaths of four raccoons, one muskrat, and one snapping turtle show no evidence of chemical toxicity as a cause of death.
Private Well Testing
Water sample results from private water systems of East Palestine area homes continue to show no harmful levels of contaminants.
The Ohio Department of Health, working with the Columbiana County Health District, had received verified laboratory results from 14 additional samples from private water systems as of noon Monday. Five of those wells showed no detectable contaminants. Nine wells had trace detections at levels well below safe drinking-water standards. There is no evidence that any of those trace detections are linked to the train derailment.
In total, 170 private systems have been sampled. Of those, test results from 71 samples have been verified, and none have shown any harmful contaminant levels associated with the derailment.
The results can be found on the Columbiana County Health Department site at https://www.columbiana-health.org/resources/.
Residents near East Palestine who would like their private water system sampled should call 330-849-3919.
Health Assessment Clinic
The Ohio Department of Health’s Health Assessment Clinic in East Palestine now is operating on a walk-in basis. Residents should arrive at least an hour before closing to ensure there is enough time to be served.
This week’s clinic hours are:
Monday – Tuesday: Noon to 6 p.m.
Wednesday: Noon to 8 p.m.
Thursday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The clinic is located at the First Church of Christ, 20 West Martin St. For information, call the Columbiana County Health District at 330-424-0272.
Coping with Trauma
According to the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, traumatic events, such as the train derailment, can cause intense stress, anxiety, and worry, especially in the first several weeks following the event.
Local certified professionals are onsite at the East Palestine Mobile Health Clinic and are ready to assist anyone who has questions or concerns. In addition, any resident can call the Ohio CareLine at 1-800-720-9616 at any time of day for free, confidential, emotional support from a trained professional.
For more information about local behavioral health resources and providers, contact the Columbiana County Mental Health & Recovery Services Board at https://www.ccmhrsb.org/.
More Information and Previous Updates: ema.ohio.gov/eastpalestine
(EAST PALESTINE, Ohio)— The following are updates from the State of Ohio regarding remediation work at the site of the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
Dam Modification for Water Overflow
The dam at the confluence of Sulphur Run and Leslie Run continues to work as expected. Although it may have appeared that the dam in this area was breached on Friday evening, the overflow of water was part of the mitigation plan to address the increase in water caused by heavy rains. The dam did not fail.
As surface water accumulated in the flood plain area at the confluence of Sulphur and Leslie Runs, the dams there were modified to allow for water overflow. According to the Ohio EPA, the contractor created a depression in the dam to relieve the overflow and lower the water level, and vacuum trucks were then used to pull up the released water.
This mitigation work allowed the contractor to control the runoff in the derailment area, and the Ohio EPA does not believe that any visible contaminated waste was released into the streams. In fact, the water from the dammed area that was allowed to overflow had been tested daily prior to the storm and had shown very low or non-detectable dissolved contaminant levels.
Out of an abundance of caution, the ponded rainwater that was released was sampled before it was collected for disposal. Test results are expected in two to three days. Ohio EPA will continue daily stream monitoring.
Track Soil Removal
The track panels were removed from the south line yesterday and the excavation of the track area began today. Crews began removing the ballast (stone) to expose the underlying clay. Due to wet conditions from overnight rain, the excavation of the clay will be delayed until conditions are favorable to securely remove and sample the material. The work is proceeding from the east side of the derailment west toward Pleasant Drive.
Municipal Water Open House
The East Palestine Municipal Water System held an open house today at the village’s water treatment plant. Plant employees explained where the village’s wells are located, presented ground water and source protection maps, and answered questions about the water system. All sampling of East Palestine’s municipal water wells to date have shown no contaminants associated with the derailment.
Photo from today’s open house event.
Hazardous Waste Removal
According to the Ohio EPA, approximately 2.7 million gallons of liquid wastewater have been hauled out of East Palestine in total. (Note: Yesterday’s reported estimate of 3.2 million gallons should have read 2.5 million.)
Approximately 230,000 gallons have been shipped to Vickery Environmental in Vickery, Ohio, to be disposed of through deep well injection.
Approximately 2.1 million gallons have been shipped to Texas Molecular in Deer Park, Texas, to be disposed of through deep well injection.
Approximately 320,000 gallons have been hauled to Detroit Industrial Well in Romulus, Michigan to be disposed of through deep well injection.
The Ohio EPA reports that approximately 1,970 tons of solid waste have also left the derailment site.
Approximately 290 tons have been hauled to Ross Incineration Services in Grafton, Ohio, to be incinerated.
Approximately 800 tons have been hauled to Heritage Thermal Services in East Liverpool, Ohio, to be incinerated.
Approximately 440 tons have been shipped to U.S. Ecology Wayne Disposal in Belleville, Michigan, to be placed in a landfill.
Approximately 440 tons have been hauled to Heritage Environmental Services in North Roachdale, Indiana to be placed in a landfill.
Negley Townhall
Ohio EPA took part in a town hall meeting in Negley, a community just south of East Palestine, on Saturday. The Columbiana County EMA brought representatives together from several agencies, including Norfolk Southern, to answer residents’ questions. The community asked about several issues including private wells, air quality, and long-term monitoring.
Health Assessment Clinic
Hours for the Ohio Department of Health’s Health Assessment Clinic in East Palestine this week are:
Monday-Tuesday: Noon to 6 p.m.
Wednesday: Noon to 8 p.m.
Thursday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Health Assessment Clinic is located at the First Church of Christ, 20 West Martin St. Walk-ins are welcome, or appointments can be made by calling 234-564-7755 or 234-564-7888.
Coping with Trauma
According to the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, traumatic events, such as the train derailment, can cause intense stress, anxiety, and worry, especially in the first several weeks following the event.
Local certified professionals are onsite at the East Palestine Mobile Health Clinic and are ready to assist anyone who has questions or concerns. In addition, any resident can call the Ohio CareLine at 1-800-720-9616 at any time of day for free, confidential, emotional support from a trained professional.
For more information about local behavioral health resources and providers, contact the Columbiana County Mental Health & Recovery Services Board at https://www.ccmhrsb.org/.
More Information and Previous Updates: ema.ohio.gov/eastpalestine
President Zelenskyy, Prosecutor General Kostin, and esteemed colleagues: it is an honor to be here with you on behalf of the United States Department of Justice.
Just over twelve months ago, invading Russian forces began committing atrocities at the largest scale in any armed conflict since the second World War.
We are here today in Ukraine to speak clearly, and with one voice: the perpetrators of those crimes will not get away with them.
Thirty years ago, at the dedication of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the late Nobel Peace Prize winner and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel issued a charge:
“For the dead and the living,” he said, “we must bear witness.”
For the past year, our colleagues in the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office have risked their lives to bear witness.
Ukrainian prosecutors and investigators have worked tirelessly to uncover the truth of what is happening here in Ukraine, and to preserve and record it for future generations.
They have meticulously collected and catalogued evidence from the rubble of blast sites – including hospitals, apartment buildings, and schools.
They have worked urgently to seek justice on behalf of the thousands of Ukrainian men, women, and children who have been killed.
They have exhumed mass graves and carefully studied the bodies of victims – in order to tell the stories of those who no longer can.
They have documented the Russian regime’s forced deportation of Ukrainian children and its use of sexual violence as a weapon of war.
They have worked relentlessly to pursue accountability for these crimes and make clear the costs of perpetrating them.
They have opened investigations, identified and tracked down suspects, and initiated prosecutions.
And they are only just getting started.
In bearing witness, Ukrainian prosecutors, like the Ukrainian people, have stood courageously in defense of democracy and in defense of the rule of law.
The United States Department of Justice is honored to stand beside you.
And we are honored to stand beside our international partners here today.
The courage of the Ukrainian people has inspired us all.
And it has galvanized cooperation in the international community to hold the Russian regime accountable for its crimes.
Just now, the United States signed an historic agreement with Ukraine, Lithuania, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia, and Romania that will strengthen our efforts to hold Russian war criminals accountable.
This agreement will expand information sharing between our countries that will help us not only to identify and prosecute Russian war criminals, but to build winning cases against them.
In addition to strengthening our international partnerships, the United States is working more closely than ever with our Ukrainian partners in our investigations of Russian war crimes.
Together, American and Ukrainian prosecutors have zeroed in on specific crimes committed by Russian forces, including attacks on civilian targets.
We are working to identify not only the individuals who carried out these attacks, but those who ordered them.
As part of this effort, the Department’s human rights prosecutors are providing advice and assistance to the Prosecutor General’s office on specific cases.
Our environmental crimes prosecutors are training their Ukrainian counterparts on the investigation and prosecution of potential environmental war crimes.
And we are partnering together to apply the lessons the Justice Department has learned from its own complex criminal investigations to assist the Prosecutor General’s Office in developing a secure electronic case management and analysis system.
This is not the first time the Justice Department has worked with the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office to hold accountable those who committed atrocities in Ukraine.
Thirty years ago, the U.S. Justice Department and the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office signed an agreement similar to the one that Prosecutor General Kostin and I signed in Washington last fall.
In 1993, the goal of that agreement was to deepen our countries’ cooperation on cases involving Nazi war crimes.
As a result, the Justice Department and the Prosecutor General’s Office successfully worked together to prove atrocity crimes in Nazi-occupied Ukraine.
This was integral to the Justice Department’s own decades-long efforts to identify, denaturalize, and deport Nazi war criminals in the United States.
All told, the Department’s Office of Special Investigations brought more than 130 cases against perpetrators of Nazi crimes.
The Justice Department – and the American people – have a long memory.
I am proud that I successfully persuaded the same prosecutor who led the Justice Department’s work to investigate Nazi atrocity crimes to lead the Department’s current efforts to investigate atrocity crimes in Ukraine.
I announced that effort – the War Crimes Accountability Team – when I visited Ukraine last June.
The U.S. Justice Department is also deploying our resources to hold accountable those whose criminal acts enable Russia’s continued brutality.
In March of last year, I announced the launch of the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture. That team of prosecutors, agents, analysts, translators, professional staff, and law enforcement partners has been busy seizing assets, executing arrests, and bringing prosecutions against sanctioned enablers of the Kremlin and Russian military.
Last month, I authorized the United States’ first-ever transfer of seized assets to the U.S. State Department to support the rebuilding of Ukraine. There will be more to come.
In addition to our work in partnership with Ukraine and the international community, the United States has also opened criminal investigations into war crimes in Ukraine that may violate U.S. law.
Although we are still building our cases, interviewing witnesses, and collecting evidence, we have already identified specific suspects.
Our prosecutors are working day and night to bring them to justice as quickly as possible.
What is happening here in Ukraine has significantly re-shaped the way the United States approaches war crimes accountability.
Until recently, our jurisdiction over war crimes was limited to cases in which a U.S. national was a victim or perpetrator.
But earlier this year – in the wake of Russia’s campaign of brutality – Congress enacted a change in the law that will allow the U.S. Justice Department to prosecute alleged war criminals from anywhere in the world who are found in the United States.
And we intend to do so.
This means that in the years – and decades – ahead, Russian war criminals who set foot in our country should expect to find themselves in U.S. courts of law. War criminals will find no refuge in America.
In courageously defending itself against an authoritarian regime, Ukraine has demonstrated the stakes that we all have in the success of democracy and the Rule of Law.
The United States recognizes that what happens here in Ukraine will have a direct impact on the strength of our own democracy.
That is why, in addition to ensuring accountability for individual war crimes, the United States also supports efforts by the international community to ensure that individuals responsible for crimes of aggression are held accountable.
In doing so we can, and we should, look to the model established by the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg nearly eight decades ago.
In that effort, the United States and its allies demonstrated their faith in the Rule of Law to hold accountable those who perpetrated some of the worst crimes in history. That effort was led by one of my most illustrious predecessors as Attorney General – Robert Jackson.
Our presence here today is proof that our faith in the Rule of Law has not wavered.
My grandmother was one of five children born not far from here, in what is now Belarus.
Three, including my grandmother, made it to the United States long before the Nazis invaded. Two did not make it. Those two were killed in the Holocaust.
My family does not know exactly when, or exactly where, they were killed. We do not know if anyone involved in their deaths was ever held accountable.
The families and descendants of the victims of the current atrocities in Ukraine deserve to know what happened to their loved ones. They deserve justice.
Today, members of the international community have joined together here in Ukraine to bear witness to the atrocities being committed by Russian forces.
We have come here to remember and reaffirm the humanity of the individuals who have been victimized by Russia’s brutal crimes.
And we have come here to seek justice and accountability under the law for all those who bear responsibility for those crimes.
Fulfilling those tasks will demand an enormous amount of work – not only from the Ukrainian people and their leaders, but also from the international community.
It will require painstaking attention to the details of individual crimes, sifting through enormous amounts of rapidly mounting evidence, and a relentless commitment to justice.
And it will require us to continue to adhere to, and put our trust in, the Rule of Law.
The United States Department of Justice will do that work for as long as it takes.
Thank you.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Delivers Remarks at the JIT MOU Signing Ceremony
Prosecutor General Kostin – Andriy – thank you for hosting the United for Justice Conference here in Lviv. It is good to see you again, and good to be back in Ukraine at this critical time.
Fellow prosecutors, thank you for making this historic moment possible.
A little over one year ago, the world watched in horror as Russia began its full-scale, unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine.
In the following twelve months, we have witnessed shocking attacks on innocent civilians, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, the forced deportation of Ukrainian children, and other blatant violations of international law. Even the city in which we gather today has been the site of deadly Russian attacks.
But the world has also watched with awe as the men and women of Ukraine have stoodtheir ground to protect their country. And we have watched with awe as brave Ukrainian investigators have rushed to process war crime scenes in the midst of ongoing conflict.
The Ukrainian people have shown the world what true courage looks like.
As Prosecutor General Kostin says – the tools of justice must be as strong as the tools of war.
That is why we are here. Those Russian officials and members of Russia’s armed forces who are responsible for the atrocities we have seen in Ukraine must be held to account.
Colleagues, you have been on the frontlines of that righteous task. You have been processing large amounts of evidence, including witness and victim testimonies from Ukrainian refugees. And you have been pursuing investigations within your respective jurisdictions.
To ensure that every possible measure was being taken to coordinate that gathering of war crimes evidence, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine established a Joint Investigative Team – a JIT – on March 25, 2022.
Just a month later, and for the first time in its history, the International Criminal Court signed an agreement to participate in the JIT. Not long after, Estonia, Latvia, and Slovakia became members. And later that year, Romania joined – forming the JIT as we know today.
Your collective action to ensure rapid and real-time law enforcement coordination and cooperation was far more than a practical, logistical step. It was a signal to the world that the perpetrators of this invasion would not undermine our shared commitment to free and democratic societies.
And it is one more reason – in the face of so much darkness – to be hopeful for the future of Ukraine and our ability as an international community to react quickly and decisively to unprovoked Russian aggression.
It is our honor to stand with you today.
Like you, the United States has been pursuing every avenue available to achieve justice for victims of atrocities in Ukraine.
In June of last year, I announced the launch of a War Crimes Accountability Team, to centralize and strengthen the Justice Department’s accountability efforts in the wake of Russia’s aggression. The Team has played an integral role in the Department’s ongoing investigation of potential war crimes over which the U.S. has jurisdiction.
In addition to pursuing our own domestic cases, we have engaged with our allies and partners on a bilateral and multilateral basis.
In September of last year, the Justice Department entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office. That MOU has already paid dividends as we work closely together.
But we recognize that investigating and prosecuting crimes of this magnitude poses a monumental challenge that can only be overcome with strong, multinational cooperation and coordination.
We are grateful for the JIT’s pursuit of justice for victims in the face of Russia’s continued aggression. We recognize the European Union’s invaluable support for the JIT, and in particular the important work done by Eurojust to ensure that the JIT has the resources it needs to succeed.
And today, we are pleased to be the first country to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with all seven JIT national members.
The MOU will formalize and facilitate coordination between the United States and JIT member countries on our respective investigations and prosecutions.
We will back our contribution with the full force and weight of the United States government. You have our commitment that we will do everything in our power to achieve the accountability necessary for true justice.
Our mission is clear. Our resolve will not weaken. And our determination to see justice done will not waver.
Oxford Township – On Friday, March 3, 2023 at 7:32 P.M., the Milan Highway Patrol Post responded to a fatal crash on the Ohio Turnpike at milepost 116.5 in Oxford Township, Erie County.
A 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee was being operate d westbound by Gilbert Jorden Jr., age 30, of Corry, Pennsylvania. Jorden went off the right side of the road , struck the guardrail and became disabled in the center lane. The passengers in the Jeep were Effie Carder, age 26, a 4-year-old female, a 3-year-old male, and a 2-year-old female all of Corry, Pennsylvania. All five occupants exited the vehicle in an attempt to get off the roadway.
A 2023 Freightliner Semi was being operated westbound by Akeeva Stinson, age 27, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Stinson struck the Jeep and five pedestrians.
Carder sustained fatal injuries as a result of the crash and wa s pronounced deceased at the scene. Jorden and the three female juveniles sustained serious injuries and were transported by LifeCare EMS to Firelands Regional Medical Center. Stinson was not injured.
The Ohio Turnpike was closed westbound for approximately three hours while the crash was investigated by Troopers. The Sta te Highway Patrol was assisted on-scene by the Groton Township Fire Department, LifeCare EMS, Interstate Towing, and Ohio Turnpike Maintenance.
Joe Lyons •
March 8, 2023
